


Moon

by PeachyRenjun



Series: Mother/Moon [2]
Category: SHINee
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Fluff and Angst, Lee Taemin-centric, M/M, Post-TSoL Era, also the baby is a secret, basically it's the same as normal but poly abo with a baby, but it's mostly fluff I swear, parenting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-16
Updated: 2019-08-16
Packaged: 2020-09-02 01:10:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20267566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeachyRenjun/pseuds/PeachyRenjun
Summary: Pseudo-single parent Taemin takes care of his pseudo-husbands' very real child while they're doing their military service.





	Moon

**Author's Note:**

> So I'm finally rounding out all of my SM boy groups. It took me a while to be mentally/emotionally okay enough to write Shinee fic, but I decided that I wanted my first Shinee fic to be both somehow dealing with the emotions we're all still going through (and probably will never be totally over) while also being more like fluffy and cute. So this is the product. The 2nd part will probably be a bit less angsty overall, but worldbuilding required angst.
> 
> So, two parts. In the same universe as my Suju fic, but understandable without reading the other one. (Although, yes, I have tried to answer a few of the final questions of my suju fic now that I've realized the full sequel to that one is probably never coming. Consider the conversation in this part wrapping-up those questions my apology)
> 
> Also the "baby" in this is born approx. 2012 or so. There was no natural spot in Shinee's history for this to happen, so just consider any albums/tours/variety shows this would have messed with bumped to either a little earlier or later in the timeline.

It had been Jonghyun’s idea to name him Minki, even though you’re not really  _ supposed _ to name a child after their parents. Jonghyun had insisted on it, though; he’d tried to say that since they didn’t know for sure which of them was actually his father (and none of them were even on the birth certificate,) it would be fine. Either way, they’d been careful when choosing the hanja for Minki’s name to make sure that neither character matched with a character in any of the four of their names.

“Minki, don’t run too quickly,” Taemin says without expectation that Minki will actually listen to him. “You’ll trip and fall and then I’ll have to explain to all of your other dads why you broke your arm.”

“No, I won’t,” Minki replies, now skipping backwards as he smiles playfully at Taemin. “I’m invincible, Dad.”

It still throws Taemin off, sometimes, when Minki calls him that. He was barely an adult himself when Minki was born, and his role as one of Minki’s dads has always been symbolic rather than an actual biological possibility. In the earlier days, especially, he’d felt much more like Minki was his baby brother than his son. But now, with everyone but Taemin gone and Taemin left alone to take care of him, he’s had to accept this role. As awkward as it feels.

“You may be invincible,” Taemin says, matching Minki’s smile with his own, “but gravity is evil and it is determined.”

“That’s not how gravity works, Dad,” Minki says, rolling his eyes. Taemin’s amazed at how young Minki has picked up sass--he’s not sure whether it’s from his influence or Kibum’s, but he’s certain it’s gotten worse over the past year. “Gravity isn’t a person.”

“It can still hurt you, though.” 

Minki rolls his eyes again. He turns to begin walking in a normal direction again, but his foot catches on the corner of a brick. He begins to fall, but before he hits the ground Taemin dives in to pick him up, barely pausing to catch his breath before he continues walking, the little omega now safe in his arms.

“See?”

“I didn’t get hurt, though,” Minki argues, even as he leans his head onto Taemin’s shoulder. “I’m invincible.”

“Sure you are, kid.” Taemin readjusts his arms to hold Minki more securely. Jinki would kill him if the kid got a bruise on him that took more than two days to heal. “You’ve only got four overprotective dads, after all.”

Taemin doesn’t walk slowly whenever he’s out with Minki. Even with a cap on, often a mask on as well if the air quality is bad enough that it’s reasonable for someone to wear one, Taemin is instantly recognizable in a way that he doesn’t want to transfer over to Minki. They have an excuse prepared, if anyone asks, of course. Minki’s been seen in public before, seen at other celebrities’ weddings and behind the scenes of SHINee’s performances. Whenever someone asks about him, they always have the same answer: Taemin’s little cousin. Simple enough of an excuse, and they can always explain why Minki’s with another member instead of Taemin by just saying that they’re like family. (The fans think it’s cute.) People have been suspicious of that answer, of course, but no one’s willing to believe in the alternative. They’d come up with a hundred crazy theories before they’d guess the truth. And that was if they were obsessed enough to notice Minki’s recurrence. Most of them weren’t, luckily.

“Almost home,” Taemin murmurs, running one hand over Minki’s back. “We just need to grab my keys and your backpack and then we’re off again. Are you excited to see your aunt and grandma?”

“Mhm.” Minki’s mostly asleep at this point, but Taemin takes the murmured affirmation as proof that Minki will probably be bouncing off the walls again in an hour or two. Luckily, he won’t have to be the one to deal with that.

Finally reaching his apartment, Taemin keys in the code with one hand while keeping the other tightly wrapped around Minki. He manages to get the door open and take off his shoes, stepping into the apartment. Walking past the dogs who swarm around his ankles over to the living area, he gently sets Minki down on his back on the couch, careful to make sure that the kid’s shoes hang over the edge of the couch rather than resting on the fabric. It’s Taemin’s apartment, but he knows that someone (probably Kibum) will still get passive-agressive toward him if they ever notice a stain on any of his furniture.

After waiting a moment to make sure that Minki won’t immediately wake up, Taemin goes to look for his car keys and their bags. Minki just needs his little overnight bag, the same bag that he carries around whenever he switches which relative he’s staying with. Hopefully, Taemin will be back early enough in the evening to pick him up, but he needs the bag just in case. He finds it next to Minki’s bed and grabs it. Taemin finds his own bag, a backpack with little more than a water bottle and a comfortable set of clothes for practice, and heads back to the living room with one bag over each shoulder, keys in hand.

“C’mon, kid,” Taemin says, gently putting his hand on Minki’s shoulder to wake him up. As much as he’d  _ love _ to carry him, there’s no way that’s happening with the bags. 

Minki is still blinking awake and trudging along when they get to the car. Taemin gets him buckled into his booster seat--only a year or two more before they can stop carting around the booster seat and switching it between cars--in the backseat and tucks the bags into the trunk. Sliding into the driver’s seat, Taemin turns the engine on and plugs his phone into the aux, switching on a playlist of Red Velvet songs. Minki starts moving in his seat to the beat of the music as Taemin starts to drive. Taemin’s convinced half of the reason why Minki likes Red Velvet’s music so much is because Yeri always manages to sneak candy to Minki backstage during SMTown concerts.

By the end of their drive, Minki is bopping along to Rookie and Taemin has exactly no worries about Minki falling back to sleep anytime in the next three hours.

“Dad,” Minki whines as the song comes to an end. Taemin already knows what’s coming next.

“We’re almost there,” Taemin says. “Promise you’ll be good tonight, alright?”

Minki rolls his eyes. “Course, Dad.”

By the time they’ve parked the car and are walking to the door, Taemin holding Minki’s bag over one shoulder, the door is already open and Roo is running to greet them. Taemin reaches down to pet her for a second, just as a sign of recognition, before he straightens back up and catches Sodam’s eye. Sodam has an amused look on her face (undoubtedly from how small Minki’s bag looks on Taemin) and Taemin can’t help but grin back at her. 

“So is my favorite nephew staying the night or am I just entertaining him while you’re busy?”

Taemin rolls his eyes. “Hello to you too,  _ Noona. _ ” After sliding the bag off his shoulder and handing it to Sodam, Taemin answers her question. “Hopefully I’ll be back in about three hours, but if it’s much later than that I’ll just let him stay with you.”

Sodam nods. “Just text me, yeah?”

“Of course.” Taemin glances down at his hands for half a second before meeting her eyes again. She’s always been a little intimidating to him, even as nice as she is. Alpha female powers. “You can take him to his doctor’s appointment next week, yeah? Since I don’t have formal custody and everything.”

Sodam nods. “Already have it marked on my calender.” At his raised eyebrow, she continues. “I think the pediatrician has both of our numbers down as the contact. They called me to let me know when you scheduled the appointment.”

“Good to know.” Taemin nods, putting his hands in his pockets. “Well, I should probably get going--”

“Taemin.” A pause to guarantee his attention. “You’re talking to your husbands, right? I know the stress of promotions while also raising Minki can’t be easy to handle.”

“It’s fine, really,” Taemin says. It’s not fine. But he wouldn’t trade it for the world. “I text them at least once a day. We’re going to do a video call all together in a few days. You know how Kibum goes baby-crazy over Minki all over again everytime he goes more than a week without seeing him.”

“Indeed I do.” Sodam laughs lightly, before nodding to Taemin. “Listen, just let me know if you ever need me to watch Minki for a few days. It would be good for you to take some time to rest.”

“Thanks,  _ Noona. _ I’ll be fine, though. Really.”

\----

“We should leave Taemin out of it.”

Taemin’s head snapped up, meeting eyes with Kibum. Kibum was already looking straight at him, and Taemin would be reluctant to call it anything but a look of pity. Pity for what? “No, I--”

“You’re too young, Taem.” Kibum leaned back into his place on the sofa. “The rest of us, I can understand. We all have a reason to get married. But there’s no way in hell you’re the baby’s dad, and we shouldn’t tie you down because of something you weren’t involved in.” 

Taemin pouted, tucking his knees up against his chest. “I’m not a kid. If we’re doing this, you can’t just leave me out. I’m as emotionally involved in this relationship as any of you are.”

Minho’s eyes met Taemin’s. Minho would be on his side in this, Taemin was certain. How many times had he and Minho kissed in the dorms at 1 am while the others were sleeping? How many shirts had subtly swapped places in their closets? How many of Minho’s secrets had Taemin sworn to protect?

Minho sighed. “It’s not like it’s legally binding. We can have a wedding with all five of us, and if at some point in the future Taemin wants out then he can just give us back his ring and we can all move on with our lives.”

“I’m not going to want out,” Taemin insisted, and was ignored.

“Fine.” Kibum didn’t even look in Taemin’s direction this time. “Let’s just add another beta to the mix, why don’t we?”

“Bummie,” Jonghyun murmured, hand tightening where it was laid on Kibum’s leg. “Calm down.”

“What, so you’re just going to let him make this decision when he’s barely an adult?”

“Kibum,” Jinki finally spoke up. “We’ve already decided that he can make decisions for himself.”

“Have we?”

“Listen,” Minho said, “it feels like you’re using Taemin’s age as an excuse.”

“An excuse?” Kibum was now halfway out of his seat, leaning over Jonghyun to stare Minho in the eye. “An excuse for what?”

“You’re jealous.”

Kibum’s eyes flashed to Jinki. “What the hell do I have to be jealous of?”

“Exactly.”

No one moved a muscle. Everyone was waiting for Kibum to reply, to finally give in and admit, just for once, that maybe his ego was a little out of control sometimes. But that wouldn’t do them any good, would it?

“I’m not going to try to change things,  _ Hyung. _ ” Taemin unfurled his legs, sitting up straighter. Kibum was staring at him now with what was barely-concealed rage, and Taemin’s only option was to talk him down from it. “When we agreed to this relationship, we agreed that any of us could be with each other as long as both people agreed. Naturally, some relationships became romantic while others didn’t.” Taemin took a deep breath. “I’m not trying to change the relationships that are already in place. But the two men that I love,” Jinki, Minho, “are going to be in this marriage. And I wouldn’t feel okay being left out of it. I know that you’re in love with Jonghyun. And we all know that Jonghyun is also in love with Jinki and Minho. So why is it so hard to accept me into this marriage when I’m not even going to try to take more of Jonghyun’s time from you?”

It was silent again, for a moment, but Taemin could tell that the anger had been taken from Kibum. His eyes were softer now, his shoulders less tense. He collapsed back into the couch, Jonghyun’s arm coming to wrap around Kibum’s waist. “Taemin, I…” Kibum took a deep breath, dragging his palms over his eyes. “That’s not it. It’s really not.”

“What is it then?”

“I just,” Kibum bit his lip. “You’re my baby, Taemin. Even with everything we agreed about this relationship, I never really thought about you in any way other than as a little brother that I needed to take care of. I understand where you’re coming from, but I need you to know that it’ll take time for me to get used to the idea of you being my husband.”

Taemin looked down at his hands in his lap. He hadn’t expected that. He’d expected a lot of things, from jealousy to disgust to a weird pseudo-alpha protectiveness, but he hadn’t expected that. It’s almost kind of touching. “I know. But nothing’s really going to change. It’s only a title, and even then it’s only one that the five of us, maybe some family and friends, are ever going to use. You can still think of me the way you always have.”

Kibum shook his head. “Taemin…” He took a deep breath, and then he stood up, leaving his place on the couch to walk across the room and kneel in front of Taemin. “Can I kiss you?”

“What?” Taemin’s eyes widened.

“You heard me.”

“Why?”

“Because I want to see if I ever want to do it again.”

“I-- Okay.”

With Taemin’s pemission given, Kibum leaned in, pressing his lips to Taemin’s while the rest of the group watched. Taemin let his eyes close and kissed him back. Kibum tasted less sweet than Taemin would’ve expected--he’d expected the older beta to have some kind of fruity lip gloss on at all times, but perhaps Kibum’s gloss did not taste as good as it looked. Nevertheless, Taemin enjoyed the feeling of Kibum’s lips on his, and he was almost dissapointed when the other pulled back.

Kibum’s lips quickly moved to whisper against Taemin’s ear. “You should go kiss Jonghyun while I get my taste of your boyfriends.”

Taemin gulped. That sounded like a pretty alright deal. “Our fiancés,  _ Hyung. _ Not either of our boyfriends.”

Kibum rolled his eyes, but he didn’t disagree. He stood up, walking over to the other end of the couch where Minho was sat, and promptly climbed into the alpha’s lap without further warning. Minho looked slightly confused, but he certainly didn’t protest when Kibum started kissing him.

Taemin walked over to sit next to Jonghyun, where Kibum was sitting eariler. Jonghyun flashed an amused smile at him, and Taemin let his head lean on Jonghyun’s shoulder. “What, Taem?”

“Kibum thinks I should kiss you.”

Jonghyun hummed. “Does he, now?”

“Apparently.”

Jonghyun laughed, leaned over, and Taemin finally kissed their omega.

\----

He’s not exactly sure where along the lines things had changed. Well, he can name a few turning points in their lives: debuting, agreeing to be together, Minki coming into their lives and their marriage, Jonghyun’s-- Well, point is, there are quite a few times when things explicitly changed. But things had changed more subtly, in between all those times. They’d grown from acquantainces to friends to lovers, and at some point, Taemin can’t help but feel like things had begun to reverse that progression.

He flicks on the lights in his apartment as he steps in. He hadn’t finished practice until an hour after when he’d expected, so he’d texted Sodam that he’d pick Minki up in the morning. The dogs don’t swarm around his feet this time--they’re probably already asleep--and Taemin sets his bag down by the door, figuring that he’ll just come back to it in the morning. 

Taemin pauses as he reaches the living room. His eyes catch on the photos of the five of them that are framed around the room. Most of the pictures, the ones on the walls especially, are fairly innocuous. Normal group pictures, nothing too personal. No Minki. But a few of the ones that are in frames on shelves are less so--there’s one of them at their wedding that Taemin is always careful to hide whenever guests come over. Still, all the ones in the more public spaces of his apartment are easily deniable, easily excusable, if he forgot to hide them. 

The really damning photos are the ones in Minki’s room. There’s one, sitting on one of the shelves, of Jonghyun holding a newborn Minki in his arms in the hospital. There’s another, across the room, of Minki as a toddler sitting in Kibum’s lap on a blanket in the middle of their old dorm’s living room, Jonghyun sitting beside Kibum with his head on his shoulder. Almost all of the photos--the ones from before a year and a half ago, at least--have Jonghyun in them. The other members, Taemin included, come and go. But Jonghyun is everywhere in the photos of Minki’s earliest years.

Sometimes, when Taemin tucks Minki into bed at night, he will point at the window, and he will say,  _ “Whenever you’re scared, all you need to do is look at the night sky and see the moon watching over you.” _ Minki will cling to his hand, and Taemin will press a kiss to his forehead and smooth out the crinkles in his hair that are left behind. He will break his hand away from Minki’s grasp, and he’ll pull the little chain necklace from around Minki’s neck to make sure it doesn’t hurt him while he’s sleeping. He’ll place the necklace on the table next to Minki’s bed, fingers lingering over the silver ring that dangles from the chain, and he’ll kiss Minki’s forehead again. He’ll leave the room, making sure that the nightlight is on, and he’ll go to his own bedroom and he’ll pretend that the feeling of emptiness is gone.

Taemin runs his fingers through his hair, washing out the lather of the shampoo. It’s been a long time--a few weeks, at least--since he’s last had a night where he didn’t have to take care of Minki. Before the others had gone to the military, they’d rotated weeks with Minki, so that none of them would get burned out. It was a system born of necessity. Before December, they hadn’t needed to rotate. Minki had just lived with Jonghyun, and each of them would get a day with him here and there when they were spending time with Jonghyun, or when they came and took Minki away for a day or two just to force Jonghyun to relax a little.

When he’s finished with his shower, bubbles washed out of his hair and off his skin, he practically falls face-first into bed. He just lays there for a second, feeling the soft sheets against his skin. The softness of the sheets allow him to let out a breath, for a minute, to feel some of the anxiety seep out of his pores and just relax every tendon and muscle. But when the anxiety is gone, when the responsibilities aren’t weighing down on him and occupying his veins and synapses, the emptiness is always there. It always creeps back.

It’s been a long time since he’s shared a bed with any of his husbands. Even before December, back when they had thought they were okay, they had been growing apart. Part of growing older, part of having a life outside of each other, part of moving out because even though they considered themselves married they’d all wanted their own space. Sometimes, when they were on tour, they would try to be more intimate. Taemin would usually share a room with Jinki, though they’d switch it up sometimes. They’d often be too tired to do anything more than kiss each other goodnight and sleep, but they would make the most out of just being beside each other. Like old times, back when they’d been in love.

Taemin pulls himself to the edge of his bed just long enough to grab his phone, type a quick goodnight text into their groupchat, and then tuck himself under the covers without waiting for a response.

\----

“I think he’s grown.”

“Minho, you literally saw him two weeks ago.” Kibum’s sass echoes through the speaker on Taemin’s phone. “He’s not a toddler. He doesn’t grow like, an inch per month.”

“He doesn’t have to grow _ that much _ to grow  _ at all,” _ Minho replies. “Right, Minki?”

“Mhm!” Minki nods proudly at the phone camera. “I’m a big boy now!”

Taemin ruffles Minki’s hair. Jinki’s smile on the screen is as infectious as it is in person, and even Kibum begins to smile softly. Well, it doesn’t take much to make Kibum smile when Minki is involved.

Jinki’s the next to speak. “So, are you enjoying your break from school?”

Minki nods. “It’s really nice not to have to deal with math all day.” The others laugh, although Taemin does roll his eyes. “I think Dad’s getting a bit annoyed with me, though.”

“Annoyed? Me? Never.” Taemin ruffles Minki’s hair again. “I just have to make sure you’re fed more often than normal, that’s all.”

“And I made you play pretty prince with me yesterday.”

“Yes,” Taemin says, his husbands’ mildly-mocking laughter in the background, “yes, you did.”

“Pretty prince?” Minho raises an eyebrow.

“Listen,” Kibum says, rising to Minki’s defense, “little omegas deserve to be treated like royalty.”

Minki smiles, placing his chin in his hands and tilting his head to the side in the kind of pose you always see people doing when they’re trying to be cute. In Minki’s case, it works.

“I just need to get you a crown, don’t I?” Taemin sighs to himself as Minki nods enthusiastically. “I’ll add it to the list.”

“Thanks, Dad!” Minki chimes back with a smug smile on his face. Taemin rolls his eyes, but he smiles back at Minki anyway.

After a few more minutes of chatting (and of everyone making heart eyes over how adorable Minki is) Taemin tells Minki to go get ready for bed while he finishes talking to the others. Minki scampers off of Taemin’s bed, heading for the bathroom, and Taemin is left alone on the bed, waiting for the questions he knows are coming. Some about Minki, others not. Now that Taemin is their primary connection to “the real world,” he has to answer every question that the others are unwilling to ask any of their other idol friends.

“So,” Kibum begins once he hears the bedroom door close, “do you have the tea?”

“The tea?” Taemin ruffles his eyebrows in confusion.

“Yes. Tea as in ‘information about what the hell is going on with Super Junior.’”

Ah. That kind of tea. For being the youngest, Taemin is never the one who’s caught up on internet slang. “I mean, I’ve heard rumors.”

“What do the rumors say, then?” Minho asks. Taemin supposes this is a group-wide curiousity now. Then again, it’s an SM-wide curiousity more than anything else.

“Well,” Taemin begins, “we all heard the engagement news about Leeteuk and Heechul.” Kibum nods. “Apparently Leeteuk and Kangin are still together, but Leeteuk is now  _ also _ with Heechul, and they’re just going to keep the original relationship out of the spotlight, especially now that Kangin officially left.”

“And Heechul and Kangin aren’t together at all?” It’s Jinki that asks this time.

“Not as far as I know.”

Minho laughs. “Watch that last about four months. I mean we weren’t even married by the time we were  _ all _ together.”

“I mean I’m all for more poly relationships,” Kibum says. “Speaking of poly relationships, how’s the KRY baby doing?”

“She’s adorable,” Taemin says. He’d seen her one time, when they’d invited him and Minki over to see the new baby a few weeks after she was born. “Still doesn’t do much more than cry and kick at things, but she’s a baby. So.”

“Leeteuk’s probably cooing over her as we speak,” Minho says. “I’ve never met someone more baby-crazy in my life.”

“He asks me if I want him to watch Minki for a few hours at least once a week,” Taemin replies. “Like I appreciate it, but I really don’t need  _ that much _ time away from him. Plus Sodam would probably kill me if I let Leeteuk take care of Minki instead of her.”

“I wouldn’t blame her,” Jinki comments. Taemin pretends to look shocked.

“ _ Hyung, _ you would let her kill your own husband?”

“Over our son? Yes. Do you see how adorable he is?”

They dissolve into giggles for a moment--Taemin tries not to wonder whether any of them are  _ actually _ contemplating the possibility of Sodam murdering him--before Minho comes back with another question about Minki’s doctor’s appointment. Taemin answers it, as well as a few other day-to-day questions about Minki and promotions, before he realizes it’s probably time that he goes to check in on Minki and get him tucked in.

“I’m going to go get Minki tucked in and get ready for bed,” Taemin says, feigning a yawn. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Taem,” Kibum says. “Love you.”

“Love you too,” Taemin replies.

The others repeat the “goodnight”s and “I love you”s and it feels more routine than sincere, but it’s still nice to hear. Taemin closes out the video call, and his little half-performative smile drops. All the video calls in the world can’t replace the feeling of not sleeping alone.


End file.
